Tipover device



March 7, 1950 H. w. HEDBURG TIPOVER DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, '1948 INVENTOR. J-Lwfiedbarg HTTYS March 7, 1950 H. w. HEDBURG 2,499,499

TIPOVER DEVICE Filed May 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. Ji. wfiedbuz'g I? TTYS' Patented Mar. 7, 1 950 UNITED STATES" PATENT .oFFIcE I 99.499 TIPOVER DEVICE Harry W. Hedburg, Stockton, Calif. Application May 29,1943, Serial N0.30,021 j I This invention is directed to, 1 and it is an object to provide, a novel tip-over device; the same being operative to facilitate the tipping of an longitudinal edge thereof;

While designed primarily for tipping full size commercial ice blocks from an upstanding or on-end position, as in storage, to an on-edge position, for transfer from place to place, the device is not limited to this purpose and may be adapted for use totip over on-end boxes, crates, cartons, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tip-over device by means of which an on-en'd article may be tipped to an on-edge positionwith a minimum of manual effort, and with safety to the handler of the article; the device reducing accidents, preventing breakage, and saving labor.

The danger in the handlin of full size commercial ice blocks, Weighing three hundred pounds nomical to manufacture, easy to install,and very rugged so as to withstand long and hard usage.

Another object of th invention is to provide a tip-over device which includes, in a channel-- like body, a platform to receive the on-end article, an adjacent elevated fulcrum over which the article is tipped, and a carry-off chute which receives the tipped article on its side.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable tip-over device, and one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but shows a modified embodiment of the upper fulcrum.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a modified form of the tip-over assembly, for

3 Claims. Cl. 193-43) elongated, heavy, initially on-end article onto one use-for example-with boxes, crates, or cartons.

hasan opening 8 I described forward and downward inclination o said platform 6.

,tially 2 5'; Referring now more particularly to' the characters of reference on the drawings, and particularly at present to Figs. 1-3, the device comprises a heavy-duty, all-metal channel-like .bod y fl, which is elongated, as shown. 1 Q. The body I includes upstanding sides 2 which are parallel throughout the major portion of their extent, and diverge outwardly at the entry end 3 of the body, as Wings 4. 7

Between the sides 2, the body I includes a floor or bottom plate 5, which extends substantially full length of said body, with the exception j of the wings 4. j H The floor or bottom plat 5 is preferably of one piece of sheet metal, and is shaped as follows: The back. end portion of the bottom 'plate' 5 'is formed as a platform 6, which is inclined forwardly and downwardly from its rear or free "edge; said edge being substantially at the level of the floor'lon which the device rests. The floor cut therein to permit of the A stop wall 9 projects 4 ward incline from the front edge of the platform 6, extending upward abov the floor I. It'is preferred that the included angle between the platform 6 and upstanding stop wall 9 be substan- Above the floor 1 the bottom plate 5 is offset as a forwardly projecting step I I], which thus forms a transverse fulcrum edge Il extending from side to side of the body. From the forward edge of the step ID the bottom plate 5 extends as an upstanding wallIZ, which is rounded. forwardly to provide another transverse fulcrum I 3; such fulcrum .I 3 thus being elevated above the fulcrum edge II, and at an advanced point. From the rounded fulcrum I3 the bottom plate 5 extends forwardly and downwardly, to the front end of the body, as a chute plate I4.

The fulcrum I3 is fitted with a transverse row of upwardly projecting prongs I5, and said prongs are so disposed on the rounded portion of the bottom plate which forms said fulcrum I3 that the upper ends or points of said prongs I 5 do not project above the plane of the upper surface of the chute plate M, for the reason hereinafter described.

In lieu of the transverse row of prongs 15, the fulcrum I 3 may be fitted, as shown in Fig. 4, with a transverse saw tooth bar l6, wherein the saw teeth project upwardly, with the points thereof at an upward andfoiriinclination of such platform, and then resting against the upstanding stop wall 9.

After the ice block I! is in this position,.as in full lines in Fig. 2, said block is manually tipped, causing it to ride first across the fulcrumzedgell and then the fulcrum 13 to the position shown in dotted lines in said figure. The fulcrums' H and 13 both engage the block below center.;;i..e.;.at relatively low points. When the ice block I! reaches the fulcrum engaging position, as in -,dottedlines in Fig. 2,.' the weightofsaidblock car- .ries .it'jforward and completes-the tipping oper- ,ation,,the block falling, onto the chute plate {4 as shown in broken lines insaid figure. .The prongs 15,01. sawtoothbar '15 on they fulcrum. I3; prevent ...any. back sliding of the ice block as it .tips about v,the fulerumJB onto said chuteplate l4.

As soon as the ice block I! falls on .edge. on the ..chute plate l4, itslides forwardly down the same .and out of the deviceontov the fioor. .llngof the ice block on the. chute plate. I 4, .is. not

obstructed by the'prongs I5 01' saw tooth bar It,

for, the reasonthatthe pointsof the same do not project above the plane of the inclinedupper surlface of the chute plate 14; vi. e. the prongs are below thebottomof the block when .it rests on the ,chute, plate.

.From. the foregoing it will be. recognized .that

.very. heavy and otherwise hard-to-handle ice blocks .or other elongated on-endarticles, may be tipped on. edge easily andwithoutdanger to the handler. 'This is of special advantage intheice industry, whe'rethe accident. rate has heretofore been very high among. ice-block handlers.

jIn an.adaptatio,n of the invention wherein the prongs 115 .or, .saw .toothibar l6 would .produce undesirable perforation of. an article being tipped over, thedevice may be modified, as in Ei g..5.

I-Iere the general assembly remains the .same, 1thelowerjfulcrum edgebeing indicated at I 8, while the upper .and advanced,,roundedfulcrum is indicated at I9.

However, the perforating type anti-back-slipping means of Figs..3 and 4 is, substituted by a. fulicrumrodifl jfixed to ,the fulcrum l9; said rod f20' being, circular in cross section and. welded in :place, as shown. Additionally, the. chute plate i4 heretofore described is replaced by a roller-type conveyor, indicated generally at 2|. This embodiment of the invention is used in exactly the same manner as described above.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the .present and preferred-construction of the device, still in practice such deviations-from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure r from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the fol- ;lowingis claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

. crum,

1. A tip-over device comprising a unitary channel-shaped member including upstanding sides and a bottom, the lower edges of the sides lying in, ahorizontal. plane, thebottombonsisting of a platform extending. from adjacent. the rear end of the member forwardlyzand downwardly .at an angle tothe, horizontal plane v,ofthebottom edges of the sides, a stop wall-at .theforwardend-of the platform extending upwardly atright angles to the platform, a step projectingforwardly from .the upper edge of-thestopwall andat rightiangles thereto, the juncture .between the. stop Th1s slidwall and step forming av fulcrum,:,-another wall curving ,up- .wardly and forwar.dly..-fr.om=.the forward edge of the step, such curved wall forming another; fuland a chute. plate, extending forwardl and downwardly from'the forward edge of thecurved wall and terminating inthehorizontal plane of the-bottom edges of the sides.

.2. A .deviceqasin claim 1 ,in which-the; sides diverge outwardlybeyond the-rear-end of the bottom to form-a guide anobject onto the platform.

3. A device ;as .in claim 1,-including anti-slip gripping members .disposed 1 along the, fulcrum point. of the curved wall, theoutWard-ends of said member terminating in a horizontal; plane below that of theiforwardedge of said wall.

HARRY. W .;-HEDBUBG.

:REFEEENCES CITED UNITED "STATES PATENTS Number "Name Date 1,036,399 Witt Aug.';20,' 1912 "1,299,927 Pilley -Apr. .8, 1919 1.445,?76 'Lathrop '-Feb. 20, 1923 McGregor -QFeb. 20, 1923 for directing the entry of l 

